Searchlight assembly for weapons carriers,particularly for armored vehicles



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SEARCHLIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR WEAPONS CARRIERS, PARTICULARLY FOR ARMORED VEHICLES Filed June 5, 1967 I Pe'Eershimmel -Fennig /4tftorneys SEARCHLIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR WEAPONS CARRIERS, PARTICULARLY FOR ARMORED VEHICLES Peter Schimmelpfennig, Wedel, Germany, assignor to Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-G.m.b.H., Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed June 5, 1967, Ser. No. 643,585 Claims priority, application7g1ermany, June 7, 1966, 53, Int. Cl. G02b 5/08; F4111 5 /26 US. Cl. 8936 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A searchlight is mounted within the housing of an armored vehicle, and a mirror is retractably coupled to the housing for movement between a retracted position within the housing and an extended position outside of the housing, the mirror being positioned to receive and to reflect light from the light source in its extended position. Means are provided for varying the orientation of the mirror in its extended position to vary the direction of the light beam reflected therefrom. The mirror is mounted on a telescoping mast in Cardanic suspension and is coupled to the optical alignment system of the weapons carrier so as to follow the alignment movements of the weapon carried thereby.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a searchlight assembly for weapons carriers, particularly armored vehicles, for reconnaissance and target illumination by at least one searchlight having a narrow beam.

If a weapon carrier is used to observe or attack targets during darkness with the aid of a searchlight, it is necessary that the searchlight be movably mounted so that it can follow the alignment movement of the optical target alignment system for the Weapon of the weapons carrier. If possible, the point of intersection of the axis of the light beam emanating from the searchlight with the line of sight of the optical target alignment system should be at the projectile impact point for the weapon of the weapons carrier. For this purpose, it is advantageous to have the axis of the light beam as high as possible above the ground to minimize illumination of the area between the weapons carrier and the target and to reduce the danger of self-illumination of the Weapons carrier, for example, by illuminating the powder cloud after a shot from the weapon, and to make it more diflicult for the enemy to determine the range of the weapons carrier. It is also advantageous to have the distance between the light beam axis and the line of sight of the weapon as large as possible because this produces better contrast and the target can thus be more easily recognized.

The above-mentioned requirements, however, are only partially met with the known searchlight assemblies for weapons carriers. In most cases, the searchlight is mounted near the optical system and is coaxially coupled with the main weapon. In armored vehicles, the searchlight is generally disposed at the gun slit and is thus aligned with the weapon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a searchlight assembly with which a particularly favorable target illumination can be achieved.

In accordance with this invention, the above-noted objective is achieved by a novel searchlight assembly including a mirror which can be telescoped out of a weapons carrier by means of a mast or the like and whose height 3,468,218 Patented Sept. 23, 1969 above the weapons carrier is variable, and 'by a searchlight mounted within the housing of the weapons carrier, the beam of the searchlight being reflected in the desired direction by the mirror whose position on the telescoping mast is variable.

The reflection of the light beam from the searchlight by means of a mirror provides a number of advantages. The searchlight can be mounted within the weapons carrier under protection of the armor so that it will be substantially protected against damage from bullets or shell fragments. Although the mirror is not always protected against such damage, a reflective surface is less sensitive to such damage than a searchlight. Moreover, a damaged mirror can be replaced much more easily than an entire searchlight. Since illumination of the target is necessary only during darkness and then only when required, the mirror can be stored, with the aid of the telescoping mast, inside the weapons carrier also. Thus, the mirror is then also substantially protected when it is not in active use.

A further advantage of the present invention is that the beam reflected by the mirror can follow the alignment movements of the optical target alignment system much better than a relatively heavy searchlight. The telescoping mast further permits the axis of the light beam to be raised to a considerable height above the ground so that substantially only the target area is illuminated and illumination of the area between the weapons carrier and the target is eliminated. The relatively high elevation of the light beam also makes it more diflicult for the enemy to find the range of the weapons carrier since he does not know the height of the light beam. The relatively large distance between the axis of the light beam and the line of sight of the optical target alignment system furthermore produces a target picture of great contrast so that the target can be more easily recognized and attacked. Moreover, the range of observation is considerably increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a partially cut-away vertical elevational view of the turret of a weapons carrier containing one illustrative searchlight assembly of this invention.

FIGURE 2 shows a special device for mechanically deforming the mirror of this invention to influence the reflected light beam of the searchlight.

FIGURE 3 shows a vibrator for imparting a horizontal oscillation to the mirror of this invention to horizontally fan out the reflected light beam of the searchlight.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before discussing the disclosed embodiment in detail, the general principles of the invention will first be discussed. In order to be able to move the light beam from the searchlight reflected by the mirror in all directions, it is advisable, according to a further proposal of the present invention, to place the mirror on the telescoping mast or the like in Cardanic suspension. Since the searchlight assembly serves first of all to aid in the recognition of targets to be attacked with the weapons of a weapons carrier during darkness and to illuminate these targets, it is further advisable that the mirror be coupled to the optical alignment system of the weapons carrier in such a manner that it follows the alignment movements of the weapon.

The illumination of a distant target should, if possible, be such that only the target area is illuminated brightly and with full contrast. Illumination of the area between the target and the weapons carrier leads to a decrease in contrast and shortens the range of sight. An improvement in the target illumination can be achieved by horizontal diffusion of the light beam. The present invention proposes therefore in a further embodiment that the mirror be mechanically deformable by means of a special device in order to influence the reflected light beam of the searchlight.

Another possibility for influencing the reflected light beam of the searchlight consists in oscillating the mirror with a vibrator or the like to horizontally fan out the light beam.

If the searchlight assembly according to the present invention is used for armored vehicles with rotatable turrets, it is further proposed to dispose the searchlight n the inside of the turret on the side away from the weapon and to also mount the telescoping mast or the like which carries the mirror within the turret.

The specific disclosed embodiment of the invention will now be discussed with reference to FIGURE 1. The ar- .mored turret or housing with a gun barrel 11 contains a fixedly mounted searchlight 12 within housing 10 on the side away from the gun. The light beam of the searchlight 12 is directed to a mirror 13, which is mounted by means of a Cardanic suspension 14 on a telescoping mast 15. The telescoping mast 15 is movable between a retracted position within housing 10 and an extended position which is illustrated in the figure. When in operation, the telescoping mast 15 is moved out of the armored turret or housing 10 by hydraulic cylinders 16 and 17. A change in the position of the mirror 13 around its horizontal axis is accomplished with a hydraulic cylinder 18 mounted on the protective frame 19 which encloses the mirror 13. Movement of mirror 13 in its horizontal plane occurs simultaneously with rotation of the turret or housing 10. The protective frame 19 is so constructed that it will intercept light beams that would otherwise be scattered from the searchlight 12.

A further possibility of influencing the light beam reflected by the mirror 13 consists in oscillating the mirror 13 in a horizontal plane around its pivot point in the suspension 14.

When the searchlight is not operated, e.g., during the daylight hours, the telescoping mast 15 with the mirror 13 can be retracted into the armored turret or housing 10. The rest position within the armored turret or housing 10 is shown by dashed lines in the figure.

FIGURE 2 shows a special device for mechanically deforming mirror 20 to influence the reflected light beam of the searchlight. Mirror 20-, in the place of mirror 13 shown in FIGURE 1, is mounted by means of a Cardanic suspension on a telescoping mast 15, and protected by frame 19. Mirror 20 forms a membrane extended over one open side of a box-shaped, pressure tight frame 21. Pressure is introduced into the space between frame 21 and mirror 20 via a pressure hose 22 which is connected to a cylinder 23. When a piston 24 is actuated in cylinder 23 by means of a control drive 25, the pressure within cylinder 23, and between frame 21 and mirror 20 is altered, which results in elastic concave or convex deformation of mirror 20.

FIGURE 3 is aschematic view of another mirror 26 mounted on telescoping mast 15 by means of a suspension 14, this mirror 26 being additionally hinged at axes 27, 28 for oscillatory rotational movement to horizontally fan out the reflected light beam of the searchlight. Oscillations are imparted to mirror 26 by means of a vibrator 29 coupled to axis 28.

I claim:

1. In a weapons carrier including a weapon housing, a searchlight assembly comprising, in combination:

(a) a light source mounted inside of said housing and directed outwardly from said housing through an opening therein;

(b) a mirror mounted on a telescoping mast, said mast retractably coupling said mirror to said housing for movement between a retracted position within said housing and an extended position outside of said housing, said mirror being mounted on said telescoping mast by means of a Cardanic suspension and being positioned to receive and to reflect light from said light source when in said extended position; and

(0) means for varying the position of said mirror, when said mirror is in said extended position, to vary the direction of light reflected therefrom.

-2. A searchlight assembly as defined in claim 1 for armored vehicles wherein said weapon housing comprises a rotatable turret, and wherein said searchlight is disposed within the turret on the side thereof away from the weapon, and wherein the retractable mounting for the mirror is also disposed within the turret.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 641,897 1/l900 Simms 894O l,l72,306 2/1916 Parker et al.

2,952,189 9/1960 Pajes 350295 2,982,179 5/1961 Lace 3506 FOREIGN PATENTS 491,187 5/l9l9 France.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner S. C. BENTLEY, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 350307 

